National lacrosse tourney enables adults to showcase the sport and support youth programs

During the week, they are accountants, teachers, financial planners, software developers and other professionals, but on Saturdays and Sundays, they become weekend warriors on the lacrosse fields.

Boca Raton's Curt Levine sells commercial insurance, but gets his biggest thrills from playing for the Florida Really Old Guys, a team based in Palm Beach County and including men age 45 and older.

Levine can't get enough of the sport. He picked up his first lacrosse stick at age 14.

The squad recently joined 35 other teams for the annual Florida Lacrosse Classic at Tequesta Trace Park in Weston. The nonprofit tournament, the largest of its kind in the country, serves as a major fundraising initiative for the Florida Youth Lacrosse Foundation.

This year's lacrosse tournament featured three age divisions: Grand Master (45-49), Half Century (50-59), and Past Masters (60-over). Along with two teams from Florida — the Really Old Guys and the Buzzards from Parkland — the other squads hailed from around the country, including Colorado, New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania. They competed on six fields and played a total of 98 games.

"I never really thought about playing lacrosse as long as I have," said Levine, 49. "I heard from the guys who organized the tournament that there was an opportunity to play at my age. It's a great day. I love it."

He especially loves the fact that his efforts are helping youth programs throughout the state.

"What these guys have done here is incredible," Levine said. "The money that they raise here to start youth programs in towns all around the area is unbelievable."

Deerfield Beach's Andy Pollack, who plays for the Buzzards, agreed.

Pollack, who started playing lacrosse in Long Island, was one of the founders of the Parkland RedHawks, a member of the South Florida Youth Lacrosse Association that also includes the Boca Jets, Delray Beach Riptide, Palm Beach Gardens Gators, Wellington Wolfpack and Jupiter-Tequesta Tide recreational programs.

"Any time a kid has a stick in his hand rather than a joystick, it's a good thing," Pollack said. "You get them off that computer."

Mark Parets, 51, is a coach and referee when he is not playing for the Buzzards.

"It's great just to be able to keep competing, regardless of age," Parets said. "It's like a cult. You either love it or you hate it. To be able to play and have fun and do something that is worthy is great."

John Floyd-Jones was a college roommate with Levine when they played lacrosse at Lafayette College and flew down to the event from Philadelphia.

"I started getting ready for this event six weeks (ago)," said Floyd-Jones, 49, who has overcome seven knee surgeries and ACL tears to both knees. "Last year when I got off the plane, the attendant asked me if I needed a wheelchair. I wasn't prepared last year, and I wasn't going to let that happen again."

The Buzzards' Dan Lee, 45, of Boca Raton, said it is good to give back to the community.

"It's nice to give back to the sport," said Lee, who has played since age 12. "This is a lot of fun because you are playing with experienced guys, whether they recently started or have been playing since childhood. When you connect with other players and it results in a goal, that is a great feeling, and it shows you are not a one-man show."

For six years, Matt Reilly, 50, has been playing in the tournament as a member of the Really Old Guys.

"This is my sixth year, and I look forward to it every year," said Reilly, who makes the annual trip from Montclair, N.J. "It is like a holiday."

Don Clinton, the foundation's managing director, ran the tournament. He is one of the founders of the Boca Jets' program along with his brother, Brian.

Clinton said that, along with the fundraising, a significant goal of the Florida Lacrosse Classic is to promote and expand the sport regionally.

"South Florida, and the state of Florida in general, are leading the nation in terms of growth," he said. "The South Florida Youth Lacrosse program stretches from Miami to Vero Beach, and we have almost 6,000 kids from kindergarten to eighth grade."

Clinton said the foundation has contributed more than $220,000 in funds and equipment to more than 100 Florida youth lacrosse programs.

Most recently, the foundation underwrote and presented the annual Florida Preseason Lacrosse Goalie School in Boca Raton. The school provides technical instruction, individual coaching and one-on-one analysis of goalies' strengths and weaknesses. Twelve National Collegiate Athletic Association coaches were on hand to train more than 80 athletes and youth coaches in attendance.

"Lacrosse players never retire; they just move up a division," Clinton said with a laugh. "These guys come down here and renew friendships from college [and] high school ball. We have All-Americans from all of the major colleges, and a lot of these guys have played with and against each other at every level for 35 years."

The foundation is based in Boca Raton. For more information, visit http://www.floridalaxclassic.com.